The Sister of an Angel
by fmfan1980
Summary: Kathy was the sister of Liam, the man who would one day become the Vampire known as Angel. She was his second victim after he rose from his grave, and now she's returned. And all she wants to do is find him; and surprise him. Preferably with the blood of the people he cares about on her hands. (Edit and re-upload of a previous story).
1. Chapter 1

**Sunnydale High School, 2130 hours.**

A female figure dressed in all black from head to toe crept up to the trees that lined the south section of the Sunnydale high school. Through the balaclava that covered her head, she peered through her dark tinted goggles as she hid behind one of the thick-trunked trees peppered all over the school premises. She peered at the empty parking lot and smiled underneath her balaclava before looking at the windows, and cameras along the wall and roof of the school.

Concentrating, the figure mentally disabled the camera's looking down at the school grounds, by pulling them out of their housings, and watched as they fell onto the grass below. With the camera feeds on that side of the school taken out, the figure silently crept up to one of the windows on the first floor, and mentally undid the latch on the inside. She then opened the window by sliding it with her gloved hands to the left before slipping into the darkened classroom. She then She had already spent weeks hacking into the city planning office and looking through the blueprints to the school. She knew where everything was, including where the new security cameras were installed.

And there were a few in the hallway right outside.

Covered in darkness, the figure crouched down before making her way to the classroom door. Once there, she remained crouched down in the shadows before getting up slightly so that she could look out the square framed window that looked out into the hallway. Upon seeing the camera that was peering down at the hallway, she cut the wiring… and then the small red light on the camera disappeared.

'Ten minutes,' thought the figure to herself as she opened the door while mentally taking out another camera, 'based on what I've read on the Sunnydale police response history, it'll be ten minutes before anyone gets here.'

But the figure still rushed through the hallways, cutting the feeds to the cameras on her way. She cut the cameras everywhere she could, everywhere she passed. She didn't want anyone to know where she was going. As the cameras were noiselessly cut, the figure reached the room she was looking for. Ducking down, she remembered the plans she had seen on the school security system and took out the camera's in the room before mentally unlocking the door. Opening the door with her gloved hand, the figure stood up and made sure that all the cameras were gone. Smiling under the balaclava at the sounds of sirens in the distance thanks to her enhanced hearing, the figure unzipped her jacket… revealing a red tie-dyed T-Shirt underneath. She reached into the inside of her jacket and took out a folder while she walked around the main counter. She looked at the contents of the folder and then placed it in the 'transfers in' box at the school administrator's desk.

She knew that everything was now set, that she had hacked into the school after receiving her documents in Los Angeles from a 'reputable' demonic forger. All she had to do was to place the folder in the box, and then she'll be coming back the next day as a new student from Ireland. Walking out of the office, she locked the door and then closed it behind her before running through the halls cutting the camera feeds.

It was just as the police were already entering the school ground, that the figure was exiting the other way out of the school grounds. The figure kept running, one part of her was begging the other to stop what she was going to do; what she had been planning to do for so long.

For a little over two hundred years.

'Shut up!' she thought to herself as she ran, 'I'll take my time, and then I'll have my revenge. He'll pay… he'll pay for what he did. And my so-called morality will not stop me.'

 **Sun Towers Apartments, 2230hours.**

A young girl, about twenty years old with short, dark brown hair that reached down to her shoulders was about to pass an alleyway while walking toward the lit apartment complex a few meters away. She was in a simple pair of dark blue jeans, and a black leather jacket that went up to her waist with a red tie-dyed t-shirt underneath. Her sneakers were making crunching noises on the pavement as she walked on some of the dead leaves that had fallen thanks to the gentle breeze that was travelling through the air. Getting closer to the twenty story apartment complex, the girl looked over her shoulder when she heard footsteps behind her, and smiled at the two gentlemen staring at her with, what could only be described as, hunger in their eyes.

"Hello, gentlemen," said the girl in an Irish accent as she turned and placed her hand on her hips, "can I help you?"

"Well," said one of the men while rubbing his hands together as he continued strolling towards her, "we can keep you company. I mean, we're not sure you know about the Sunnydale nightlife. We'd like to show you a good time, and it does get pretty dangerous for a young thing like you all alone."

"Yea," replied the other one who had his hands in his pockets, "how about we gentlemen take you where you need to go, and then we can get a drink. I don't know about you, but we're thirsty."

"Thirsty, huh?" said the female as she smirked. She was using her hearing to hear for any heartbeats, but she got nothing at all. Taking a few steps forward, she placed her hands on the sides of both their heads. The two of them looked surprised at the girl's forwardness, but that surprise soon gave way to a smile on each of their faces, "believe me, boys, I'm thirsty too. But you don't do anything for me."

"Come now," one of the men was about to say something when he and his friends stepped back upon seeing the yellow eyes and the fangs in her mouth, however, she was missing the familiar forehead ridges of their kind. The two of them looked at each other in surprise before 'vamping' out and growling at the girl.

"You do not want to get in with me, little boy," snarled the girl as she brought her arms to her side and extended her fingers with her palms facing out. The two vampires' eyes went wide when the girl's fingernails seemed to grow. Eventually, the nails looked like blades that extended from her fingers, the tips and edges looking sharp enough to slice their heads clean off. They looked back at the smile on the female's tilted head before taking another step back, "run, little boys. You do not want to take me. I am nothing like you, and…"

"Abomination," whispered one of the vampires.

"Abomination?" hissed the girl retracting her nails before she leapt forward. She grabbed the vampire that called her an Abomination by the throat, and then pushed him hard into an alleyway. He was flung into the side of a dumpster, and then flopped onto the ground groaning. She wanted to be off the street even though it was mostly empty, with only a few people walking around in the distance. Far enough for them not to hear what was happening. The girl glared at the other vampire while baring her fangs, an action that made him bring his hands up, "run, and if you tell this to anyone… to your friends, to your next, to whoever your leader is? I have your scent. I will find you, and…"

"I.. I won't," stammered the vampire who changed to his human face while the girl still had her fangs extended and her eyes yellow, "I.. I'll go, and…"

The girl snarled at him before turning into the alleyway when she heard the vampire who slammed into the side of the dumpster earlier cursing her while getting onto his feet. She leapt at him while the other vampire ran off into the night; the girl heard the footsteps running away from them while she gave a backhanded slap across the vampire's face. He was flung into another wall, hitting it hard, before the girl dashed towards him. She then picked him up by the back of his collar and then he was thrown further into the alleyway. Under the cover of darkness, the girl could see clearly as the vampire was slowly getting up while she extended the nails on her right hand. The man, already up on his feet, and limping towards her, taunted the girl who rushed at him. She ducked the punch heading for her head. She then, while on one knee, stabbed the vampire in the abdomen before pulling out her hand. She saw the vampire step back in stunned silence, his hands on the bleeding wounds before she got to her feet, and in one swift motion, swung her arm and sliced his head clean off. As she retracted her fingernails, the body of the vampire turned to dust.

Smiling as she licked the blood of her fingernails, the girl walked out of the alleyway, and back onto the pavement that led to the apartment complex. Opening the door, and smiling at the personnel at the front desk, she reached into her jacket and took out an envelope. Handing it to the man at the front desk, she waited and looked around the brightly lit and ornately decorated lobby before being told that he needed to call the manager; that they usually checked people in during the day, and that it was their policy for nobody to move in at night.

"Even for one who's renting the penthouse?" asked the girl.

"One moment, Miss O'Connell," said the man, his face flushed due to being unsure of what to do, before he dialled a number on the phone and then placed the receiver on his ear. The young woman looked around and smiled at the tables and fancy chairs that were spread out all over the lobby, and she was instantly brought back to a party in Marseille, France. The day she drank her first noble-born blood, she had taken the man's gold with her after she was done… leaving the dead man on his seat with his head bowed down on the table.

Back in the present day, the young woman was brought out of her reverie by a balding, stocky man, who was approaching her from the left.

"Miss Elizabeth O'Connell?"

"Beth," she replied as the man nodded his head.

"Sorry for the misunderstanding," said the man as Beth nodded her head, "your apartment is ready."

"It had better be," said Beth, "given the amount I've already paid."

"A small, innocent, misunderstanding," said the man while he glanced over at the desk clerk who looked away red-faced. The man then turned back to looked at Beth before asking her if she had more bags with her than the ones that had already arrived more than three hours ago.

"No," replied Beth before she sighed and rubbed the back of her head, "I do have to apologize as well. My flight from Los Angeles was overbooked and given my luck… my bags left with the flight. I had them send the bags here once the plane landed, and here I am."

"No apologies needed," said the manager as he motioned towards the elevator, "this way, Miss."

Beth followed the manager, but not before glaring at the clerk from earlier who looked away embarrassed. She followed the man to the elevator, and then took the elevator to the twentieth floor. Once there, she was led into a red carpeted hallway that a single door on either side of the walls. And there was an ornately decorated door at the end of the hallway as the manager dug into his pocket, and then took out a key card. Once the card was inserted into the electronic lock, there was a buzzing sound followed by a click as the lock disengaged, and the manager turned the handle and pulled the door open. Beth walked in, with the first sight being a curtained wall of glass that was already pulled away to reveal the bright lights of Sunnydale beyond. She turned to the manager, on the way glancing at a set of three large bags in the far corner of the room, and thanked him. She then gave him a tip before asking him for the number to a 'great pizza place'. Once Beth had the number, the manager walked out… closing the door behind him.

"Well, well," said a female's voice with Beth turning around sharply, her fingernails extended and her fangs drawn out. She happened to see a blonde female in a white blouse and jeans standing in the middle of the living room looking right at her. Beth tried to listen for a heartbeat but she heard nothing. She tried to pull a scent out of the air, but she got nothing. The blonde girl walked towards Beth with a smirk on her face and her arms folded over her chest, "look what the cat dragged into good ol' Sunnydale."

"Who are you?" growled Beth as she lowered herself to the floor in an attacking stance, "speak."

"Take it easy," said the blonde as she waved her arms and walked around the furnished living room while Beth stayed standing still, "I'm everywhere.. ummm…. So what name are you using this time? Caroline, Kate, Rose, Kathy.. ah, Kathy.. that's your…"

"Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth," said the blonde as Beth retracted her fingernails and stood up before taking a step forward, "who the hell are you?"

"You know who I am, Elizabeth," said the smiling young woman, "I've always been since the beginning of creation itself.. and I'll be here when everything in the universe dies, but I've never been able to manifest myself.. until now. You're the main reason I gained a hold on this reality.. you and.. well, there was another reason, but…"

"How am I… wait, who are you?" demanded a confused Beth as she narrowed her eyebrows at the girl.

"I am Evil itself, little girl," said the blonde as she walked through the dining table towards Beth, who jumped back in shock, "I am the First Evil. And you, you are going to do me a great favour."

"Hah," chuckled Beth as she shook her head and her body eased, "I don't care who you are, or what you want, I…"

"Oh, our needs coincide," said the First, "there's someone the both of us hate. Someone who I need out of the way for my plan to work. You know who it is, the one who killed you… the monster with the face of an angel."

"Liam," whispered Beth before shaking her head, "I've heard rumours that he's been spotted in and around the High School in Sunnydale. That is the only reason why I am here. So, I am not here to fulfil some wish fantasy of yours… I am here to find out why he has been here, of all places, for the past one and a half years."

"Oh," said the blonde with a smile on her face, "I mean it when I say that our needs intersect. Let me guess, you want him to suffer as much as you have… and then you want him dead. Am I wrong?"

"No," growled Beth, "but I will do this on my timetable, I have this place for a year after all. And.."

"Take your time," said the blonde, "I know what you are, and how patient you've been. One hint? The reason why your Liam's staying in this God-forsaken town?"

"What?" asked Beth.

"You'll see tomorrow," said the First chuckling before vanishing in front of Beth's eyes. Beth just stayed stood in the penthouse alone with her hands rolled into fists for a few seconds. Shaking her head, she then headed for the phone and called the local pizza delivery service.

She was hungry; so she was going to have a bite to eat followed by a drink, and then she'd go to bed. After all, it was her first day at Sunnydale High tomorrow. And she had to leave a good first impression.

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

**Giles' Apartment, 0200 hours.**

Giles hoped that they did not fail.

That they did not fail to stop Drusilla from syphoning enough of Angel's energy to rejuvenate herself fully. He hoped that Buffy's hit, which managed to bury Spike and Drusilla under concrete and steel of the church, meant that they were somehow dusted. As he sat in his armchair, with a lit table lamp on the side table on his left side, Giles took a sip from the glass of scotch in his hand. Giles them looked over his shoulder at the back of his couch where the second Slayer, Kendra, was fast asleep.

He then looked back at his glass of brown liquid, and still couldn't believe it, especially since it was unprecedented.

'Two Slayers at the same time,' thought Giles to himself as he looked back up at the wall while drinking his scotch, 'Buffy died just for an instant, and then there's a new Slayer. That's what was supposed to happen, but then Buffy returned. The prophecy girl defies the prophecy… she came back to life. Amazing, simply amazing.'

As he looked back over his shoulder at the couch once again, Giles couldn't help but compare the two Slayers in his mind; both had their unique traits and he couldn't help but wish that Buffy shared some particular traits in which Kendra excelled. Particularly listening to her Watcher. But he also knew that Buffy had already grown on him, and having her be a different kind of Slayer would be off-putting.

Shaking his head, Giles then finished the scotch, and then placed the empty glass on the side table, and then turned off the table lamp. He got off the armchair and was about to walk around it when the phone rang. He looked at the clock on the wall while Kendra stirred in her sleep, before picking it up and then placing the receiver on his ear.

"Yes?" whispered Giles as he looked at the couch where Kendra had yawned and then sat up, her back was to the Watcher as she rubbed her face. Giles was about to give whoever called that early in the morning a piece of his mind when the person on the other line spoke up first.

"Mr. Giles," said an accented individual, a familiar male voice who Giles had spoken with only yesterday, the day that Kendra first arrived in Sunnydale, "I apologize for calling you at this early hour."

"It's fine, Mr. Zabuto," said Giles as Kendra spun around while she was seated and looked at Giles with her eyebrows knitted together, "do you need to speak with Kendra? I should tell you that she was instrumental in defeating both Spike and Drusilla, as well as helping to rescue a friend of my Slayer."

"I am glad she has been useful," said Zabuto, pride evident in his voice. It was the same pride that Giles had felt the day Buffy killed the Master. But Giles could tell that there was something else in his voice, a hint of apprehension and fear, "but that is not why I have called. I realize that Kendra is due to return to Jamaica tomorrow, but I would like for her to stay in Sunnydale with you and your Slayer."

"Is everything alright?" asked Giles as he looked at Kendra who had gotten up in a T-shirt and sweatpants that Buffy had loaned her. The new Slayer joined Giles on the phone while she crossed her arms over her chest.

"There is a great darkness in Sunnydale, Mr. Giles," said Zabuto as Giles looked on confused, "and this has nothing to do with the Order of Taraka, or this Spike and Drusilla. This is something completely different. I have already cleared this with the Council. And I apologize for contacting them before asking you, but I felt that the situation called for urgent action."

"I understand," Giles nodded his head as Zabuto asked him to take over training Kendra temporarily. He then asked to speak to Kendra, and Giles handed her the phone before stepping back. He then walked over to his glass on top of the side-table and headed to the kitchen while Kendra spoke on the phone. He poured another glass of scotch into the glass just as Kendra put the receiver down, and turned around confused. She then looked up at the Watcher and told him that she was to stay in Sunnydale for the immediate future because of this new danger.

"That's what I was told," said Giles as he took a sip while Kendra frowned. Giles then told Kendra to get some sleep, and that he would talk to everyone at the library tomorrow morning. Kendra then nodded her head before heading back to the couch. Giles watched her lay back down before he walked out of the kitchen with the glass of scotch, said good night to Kendra, and then turned off the light. Upon hearing the 'goodnight' from Kendra, Giles headed up the stairs and then into his room before closing the door behind him. The older man couldn't help but wonder what this new darkness was supposed to be.

'No matter what it could be,' thought Giles to himself as he sat on the bed, and then took a sip of his scotch, 'there are two Slayers who would be able to handle whatever pops up, as the Americans would say.'

 **Sun Towers Apartments, 0600 hours.**

"Liam! Help me!"

Kathy heard a voice in the distance as she sat crying at the table in her home. She looked over her shoulder, wiped the tears from her eyes, and strained to listen for that distance female voice. Confused, thinking that it sounded just like her own voice, Kathy shook her head and told herself that she was imagining things. She then wiped more of the tears gathered in her eyes before looking across the table at her mother, and then at her father who was in the bedroom looking out the window. She turned to the maid who was teary-eyed as she cooked something for dinner; the group had returned from burying Liam O' Brien, a son and brother. The twelve-year-old Kathy sat despondently on the chair in the kitchen and watched as her mother broke down and fled to the bedroom where her father remained looking out the window. She heard the door slam shut before her mother's wails could be heard before the bed creaked.

And all Kathy, the young Katherine 'Kathy' O'Brien could do was sit on the chair looking at the table. She heard footsteps behind her, followed by the maid stroking the back of her head before placing a bowl of stew with a large piece of bread inside, on the table in front of her.

"You have to eat, little Miss," said the maid gently before she headed off to her room in the rear of the house. But Kathy couldn't eat anything, she wasn't hungry. All she did was stare at the food for two hours, by which time it was already dark out. She felt a cold breeze flow in through the kitchen window, and she got off the chair and then ran to the window. Closing it shut, Kathy's stomach growled. Shaking her head, she then trudged towards the dining table, and towards her cold dinner when there was a knock on the door.

Her heart racing as the knocks came in a rhythm, the same rhythm that Liam used when he was alive to tell Kathy that he was at home. A grin on her face, and hoping against hope that what she would see when she opened the door was true, Kathy squealed in delight when she swung the door open and there stood Liam with a smile. She saw that his clothes were dirty, but she didn't care… Kathy had her brother back.

The brother she loved, the brother who was taken away from her.

"You came back as an angel," cried Kathy as he hugged her brother. While hugging him, Kathy noticed there was a beautiful woman standing behind him. Kathy stepped back as Liam told her that he was her angel and that she was the reason he came back.

"I missed you so, Liam," exclaimed Kathy as she hugged him again. The young girl was about to ask about the beautifully dressed woman, but Liam beat her to the question by saying that the woman was named Darla, and that she was a friend.

"She'll be showing me the world, Kathy," said Liam as he placed his hands on Kathy's cheeks, and looked into her eyes. Eyes that showed Kathy he loved her, that somehow her brother had returned, "let's all go into the house. I want father and mother to meet Darla, I want to show them that I'm better. That they'll never be disappointed in me again, and neither will you."

"I was never disappointed in you, Liam," Kathy before she turned and rushed into the house. When she noticed that Liam wasn't following her into the home, she turned and looked on as Liam performed an exaggerated bow before asking, as a nobleman would, if he could come into the home.

"Of course, silly," said Kathy as she clasped her hands together while Darla gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Mistress O'Brien." Kathy chuckled as Liam performed another exaggerated bow before she turned and headed for her parents' bedroom while shouting, "Mother! Father! Look Liam has become an angel and returned to us."

"That I have," said a voice with a low growl behind Kathy.

Her heart beating fast, the girl felt herself being turned around roughly before coming face to face with a demon.

"Liam?" said Kathy, her body trembling while a chill ran up her spine, as she looked at his yellow eyes, and then at the forehead ridges, and finally at the fangs. She then looked at Darla who had changed her face into that of a demon while standing outside the door. Kathy saw her as she smiled at her while licking her lips.

Kathy was then pushed onto the floor roughly as Liam sat on top of her, while one hand was placed over her mouth.

"You're a little bitch, Kathy," said Liam as he leaned down towards his sister's face. He saw the tears gathered in the fearful eyes before whispering, "always following me around like a puppy dog. Be the puppy dog you are, and beg."

"Liam," Kathy said with a broken voice after he took his hand off her mouth. She then started to sob, tears falling down the side of her eyes as she begged, "please… I love you… please stop and.."

"That's not begging," said Liam as he growled before he moved Kathy's head to one side, exposing her neck. Liam extended his fangs as Kathy sobbed uncontrollably before bring his head down to her neck, and then he bit through the skin and started to drain the blood in her twelve-year-old body. Kathy saw that her vision was fading while she was being drained; all she could do was grab a hold of Liam's arm and squeeze one last time before whispering.

"Liam," she whispered as her eyes became heavy, and her body cold, "please… please… don't… I…"

Liam growled as he bit down harder, and sucked her blood faster.

"Love…" That was the last thing that Kathy ever said before the hand that was squeezing Liam's arm fell onto the cold floor. Liam then grinned at Darla while leaving Kathy's eyes open, and then killed his mother and father, followed y the maid.

Back in the present day, Beth snapped her eyes open and sat up in bed. She rubbed her forehead before shaking her head at the dream she just had, the dream of the night she died at the hands of her brother. She felt the tears gathering in her eyes, tears that she quickly wiped away as she removed the blanket over her body, and placed it over the drained body of the clerk who she felt had insulted her last night. She looked at the body, after she got off the bed naked, and then smiled.

As she headed for the restroom, Beth thought about all the identities she had taken, the latest being Elizabeth. All identities had her same face except for a tiny change here and there. As she looked in the mirror, she smiled at her own reflection and whispered a spell; a basic glamour that changed her blonde hair to a bright, wavy red. She stepped back from the mirror and looked at the scars all over her upper body, and then she turned and saw the scars on her back.. and Kathy's anger grew towards her brother.

She left everything else the same; she wanted to see if her brother would recognize her. The brother she had chased, and watched, for a hundred and forty-seven years. She stepped into the shower as she remembered the day she heard that Angelus had his soul forced upon him, they were in different areas of Romania when it happened. She had killed an entire village just for the fun of it when she heard one of the elders saying that their descendants would find her, and curse her like they did Angelus.

"Good luck with that," she hissed into his ear just before stabbing him through the heart.

After killing the elder, Kathy stood up and saw the dead all around her. She wiped the blood off her lips with the back of her hand before walking away, whistling in the dark. She knew about the Whirlwind, it was what Angelus, Darla, Drusilla, and Spike called themselves as they went through Europe killing, raping, and pillaging.

The four monsters.

She knew that they were public, they were careless. Kathy wanted to be more towards stealth, and she was thanks to her abilities. Some of her attacks were even attributed to the Whirlwind, but the truth was she didn't care. She just wanted to kill, her anger fuelled her need to kill. She followed them at a distance, always watching her brother and his friends.

And then she lost him during the Boxer Rebellion.

Back in the present day, Beth stepped out of the shower, out of the restroom, and she walked past the bed with the pale, dead, body. She opened her closet and took out a full-sleeved shirt, a skirt that stopped just below her knees, and everything else she needed. Beth looked at the body again and then walked towards the thick curtains in her room. She pulled them apart, feeling the sun on her skin, and then opened the glass windows. Beth stepped onto the balcony, and then looked down at the swimming pool. She walked back into her room, picked up the body, and threw it over the edge. She then walked back in and closed the windows and curtains while reminding herself that she couldn't stay under the sun for too long.

After she called a cab, Beth put on her clothes and grabbed her bag. She then rushed out of her room. She took the elevator down to the lobby where there were panicked members of staff running about. Beth walked out of the lobby while hearing some of the staff saying 'he went home last night', and then got into the waiting cab that took her to the High School. It would be nearly twenty minutes later that she would walk through the hallways, watching people in uniform fixing the security camera's she had ruined that morning. She walked past the student, some of whom turned and looked at her as she walked past.

Smiling as she looked back at them, Beth continued to head to the administration office. It was there that she checked in and then was told to get her books from the library. Which was what she did, and it was the place where she nearly gasped in surprise. Instead, Beth kept herself calm after she swung the doors open at the same blonde girl who appeared in her apartment the last night was talking to an older man.

The only difference was that this girl had a scent, and she could hear her heartbeat.

"We'll talk about our mutual friend later, Buffy," said the older man as Buffy told him that she'll return after second period. She then walked away, waving and nodding at Beth. She nodded her head before turning to the older man.

"I'm Rupert Giles, the school librarian, how can I help you?"

"I'm Elizabeth O'Connell," said Beth noticing the librarian smiling at her Irish accent, "and I need to get my hands on some books."

TBC.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sunnydale High School Library.**

"You're Irish?" asked Giles as he fixed his glasses on his nose while smiling at Beth. The young woman nodded her head before the older librarian told her it was good to have someone from close to home attend Sunnydale High, "where in Ireland are you from?"

"Dublin, but my ancestors come from Galway," said Beth noticing the slight increase in his heart rate, as well as his breathing, before he nervously nodded his head while saying that a friend of his was from that area too. An innocent smile formed on Beth's lips as Giles motioned towards the counter while asking for her book list. Reaching into her bag, Beth took out the list of books and leaned against the counter where Giles had asked her to stay while he searched for the books she needed. Watching the man go up the stairs, Beth couldn't be sure as she thought about his reaction to her ancestors, in reality, herself and her family being from Galway; and then there was the mention that a friend of his was from that area too, "you said you haven't met someone from home, but it seems this person; this friend of yours is…."

"Oh," said Giles as he leaned away from a book stack and looked at her, "he hasn't been to Ireland in a long time, he's more American now than… well… he's more American now."

"I see," answered Beth with Giles going back to concentrating on the book stacks while wondering if she should use her hypnotic ability on him. Beth thought that he may know about Liam and where to find him, but immediately decided against it since she wouldn't be able to make him forget revealing information to her, and she didn't want to tip her hand too quickly in case he wasn't talking about Liam. However, she made a note to keep an eye on him in case he ever mentioned Liam by name, or as Angel, after which she would get Giles to call out for Liam before killing the both of them, "well, I can tell you that it is good to have someone from home employed in this school. I was worried that I would be only one from the Isles."

Giles just smiled as he carried some books in his arms down the stairs, and then to the counter. He checked out the books on the computer and then handed them to Beth. He told her that she was welcome back to the library anytime, even if she just wanted to talk about home, "but you should get going to your first class."

"Not nice to be late on the first day, is it?" asked Beth wincing while Giles shook his head.

"It is not," replied Giles. Just as Beth was about to turn around, Giles put his hand up and asked her to be careful. Beth narrowed her eyes at the man and then listened as he told her that the city wasn't as safe as people seemed to think it was, "there's been known to be gangs high on a drug called PCP creating problems, especially at night. Just make sure you're not by yourself if you do go anywhere.. at night, I mean."

Smiling while nodding her head, Beth thanked Giles before she turned around, the books on her arms as she walked away. As the doors closed behind her, Giles couldn't help but feel something wrong… he tried to rack his brain as to what it could be but came up with nothing. Thinking it was just his imagination; Giles went back to his office and started to investigate the darkness that Mr. Zabuto had indicated was already in Sunnydale.

However, the problem was that he kept on thinking that it could be something related to Spike and Drusilla; those two were the only possible reasons for the darkness Zabuto was talking about.

'And if they are still alive,' thought Giles as he sat down in his office and looked at the various books on his table, 'then we have an even bigger problem.'

Beth put her books into her backpack as she continued to walk down the hallway until she reached the stairs. Going up one level, she then made a left into the hallway and headed to the fifth door on the left. Making sure that it was the classroom she was supposed to be in, Beth knocked on the door.. stepping back when the balding, male teacher opened the door and asked if she needed help. The young woman then handed a piece of paper, her transfer documents, to the teacher who looked through it, and then stepped aside asking her to come in.

"Next time try not to be late," said the teacher as he closed the door behind him before asking Beth to introduce herself to the class. In her Irish accent, Beth introduced herself as she scanned the sea of eyes looking back at her; and when she was done, she walked towards an empty seat at the back next to a dark haired young man no nodded at her before whispering that he liked her accent.

Beth smiled before thanking him while the teacher started on the First World War, "what's your name?"

"Xander," said the young man waving his hand as Beth heard his heartbeat racing. She saw the young man's pupils dilate, she heard his breathing quicken and noticed the young man rubbing his palms together after waving his hand at her. He then brought out one hand towards her, which she took in hers and then shook.

"Nice to meet you, Xander," she whispered, shaking his hand. She noticed that Xander seemed to want to say something else before releasing her hand, but the teacher told the two of them to concentrate. Xander looked sheepishly away before taking out her books; studying a period of time she had already been through. Beth had to fit in as much as possible while at the same time looking for anything that would lead her to Liam. She knew that he was supposed to frequent the school, which meant that he had something which connected him here, 'he's got a soul, so he'd want to do good to redeem himself. So he's probably helping to kill the vampires and demons that are attracted to this place because of the Hellmouth underneath the city. And then there is the blonde girl in the library, the one talking to Mr. Giles. The First came to my penthouse as her, and I didn't hear any heartbeat… but from this girl, I have her scent and her heartbeat. What's going on? What's so special about her that the First came to me as her?'

Beth told herself that was only one of a plethora of questions that needed to be answered. And as she met more people throughout the day, she found that she was essentially going nowhere. It was in the cafeteria during the lunch period that Beth was sitting by herself, and looking down at the food on her tray. The fork she was holding hovered over the meatloaf, and then the mashed potatoes, and then the macaroni and cheese while a frown developed on her face. She looked up and scanned the area around her table, and then noticed a couple of girls at the food line, and then heard the two chairs around her getting pulled back. Looking away from the girls, Beth tilted her head and smiled at the two young men, one of whom turned his chair around and sat down, his arms wrapped around the seat back while the other one sat and grinned and Beth before leaning forward.

"See," said one of the boys, "I told you I saw a new chick."

"Yes," replied Beth dryly, as she looked back to her food and picked up some macaroni and cheese with her fork, and the put it into her mouth. Chewing, she looked back at the boys and said, "I'm new. I'm from Ireland."

"I like it how you say Ireland," said the boy, a stout young man, as he smirked at Beth, "I'm Ron, and this is my partner in crime Pete."

"I'm Elizabeth O'Connell, but my friends call me Beth."

"So can we call you Beth?" asked Ron before chuckling at Pete, and then turning to the young woman, "listen, all jokes aside… we'd like to show you around. How about we start with the Bronze tonight?"

"The Bronze?"

"Yea, it's…."

"Ron… Pete…" said Xander sarcastically as Beth turned to face him, and then back at the young men, "are you bothering the new girl? I mean come on, fellas. That's just sad."

"Beat it, Harris," frowned Pete before turning to Beth, "so what do you say, Beth? The Bronze? A little Welcome to Sunnydale party?"

"I will be fine with that," replied Beth as she heard their heartbeats quickening, "will you be picking me up or shall I meet you two gentlemen at the Bronze?"

"I can drive…"

"You don't have a car," said Xander while Beth looked down and chuckled.

"Why are you still here, Harris?"

"I keep you honest," smirked Xander, "and please, you failed your driving test."

"Harris!" hissed Pete while Beth ate her food, just as Xander asked Beth if she'd like to join him and his friends at the table on the far side of the cafeteria. Pete and Ron looked at the table, as did Beth when she noticed Buffy joining a red-haired girl, an orange haired young man, and a dark-haired young woman. She then glanced at Ron who said that Beth didn't want to join 'the weirdo, the geek, the loser, and Oz'. Pete then leaned forward, and tapped the top of Beth's hand before nodding towards Xander, "and this is the loser who's dating the other loser."

"Hey," whined Xander with a scowl on his face before turning to Beth and telling her, "at least this loser has a girlfriend, unlike these clowns."

"Hey," said Ron.

"If the shoes fit… oh… oh… you do have a pair of clown shoes," chuckled Xander before reminding Beth that she was welcome at their table anytime. He then walked away while Pete and Ron turned back towards Beth and asked her to ignore the young man who was walking away. She watched the redhead wave at Xander, and then Beth asked Ron and Pete about them.

"Willow," said Ron nodded at the redhead, "geek. Then you already had the unfortunate luck of meeting the loser, Xander. Then you have the loser slut, Cordelia. I mean she had some class at least... anyway, you've got Oz next to her."

"He's pretty ok," added Pete, "and finally, Buffy Summers.. shrew and troublemaker. Gets into fights too much."

"Remember that rumour about how that gang was after her?" asked Ron as Pete nodded his head.

"What gang? You mean the ones on PCP?" asked Beth after she swallowed a bite of the meatloaf.

"Yeah," answered Ron sarcastically before mocking saying, while air-quoting, "PCP, right."

"Oh?" asked Beth, "I heard…"

"More like Halloween pranksters," said Pete, "fangs, makeup, yellow contacts. And the leader was going after Buffy for some reason."

"I heard they were just trying to play a prank on her since she was the new kid… well, the newest one anyway," added Ron.

"She was already here for a year by then, dumbass," said Pete as Ron frowned at him. Pete then continued, "and the leader was this silver haired freak show who…"

"Silver hair?" asked Beth as her expression changed to more of a serious look, "what was he called?"

"Who knows," shrugged Ron while Pete had a more thoughtful look on his face.

"I heard Principal Snyder talking on the phone, maybe it was his gang name or something… spike? I think," said Pete as Beth tightened her jaw. The two young men were arguing about the name that Snyder used, but Beth knew that it was Spike instinctively, and her blood boiled. She closed her hands into fists as she remembered the torture after she was brought back to life as punishment, she remembered the voice of the one who brought her back to the world of the living so that he could have a chance at revenge for the death of his family at the hands of Liam.. at the hands of Angelus.

"Your brother did this!" screamed the man, while all Beth, or Kathy, could see were fuzzy shapes after she was resurrected, "what happens from now on… it is his fault. You will pay for his sin.. you will pay for all he has taken away from me!"

Beth remembered screaming for Liam to help her, to save her every time she was tortured.. from the first day, to the last when she became like this. And then she learnt that he was with a group terrorising Ireland, and then England, Scotland, and then Europe.

Beth hated her brother, but she hated Spike, Drusilla, and Darla even more. After she became what she was now, Beth's hatred grew further. The truth was that she lost all four of them during the Boxer Rebellion; while her primary target was always Liam. She would think to herself while shadowing and observing them that Liam had every opportunity to make her like him, and he didn't. Instead, he opted for another 'family', so she resolved to take them away as well. She wanted to kill them, and then kill Liam.. and anyone else she could get her hands on just for fun.

But she waited too long.

And here was another chance. Even though Angel had a soul, Beth suspected that there was a part of him that still cared for his former friends.

'They are here.' thought Beth to herself as she slowly unfurled her fists, 'all I have to do is stay out at night, and find a vampire. Get them to take me to Spike. This day has just gotten very interesting. But first, I need a few drinks for dinner tonight, normal food just gets me so far.'

"Boys," said Beth with a smile while tilting her head, "so? The Bronze? Both of you, tonight?"

TBC.


End file.
